Expansible brush



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Sept. 2, 1924.

' H. BEHRENS EXPANSIBLE yBRUSH Fi'led June 23, 1923' Je /5 6 az 'III-III *INVENTOR He le nc .Behrens BYI Wwf ATTORNEY Patented Sept. Z, 1924.

UNITED STATES HELENE BEI-IRENE, OF HERINGTON, KANSAS.

EXPANSIBLE BRUSH.

Application filed June .23, 1923. Serial N'o. 847,356.

T all whom t may concern:

Be it vknown that I, HELENE BEHRENS, a citizen of Germany, residing at Herington, in the county of Dickinson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Expansible Brushes, of which the following is a specification.

rFhis invention relates to improvements in brushes and particularly to types used in cleaning the interiors of containers, as jars and wide mouthed bottles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a brush made in two opposed 'portions movable towards or from each other and supported by an extending handle conveniently operated.

Another purpose is to produce a brush which may be contracted to pass through a relatively small opening and then expanded in a uniform and positive manner to operate beyond the opening.

These objects are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a side view of a brush made in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the brush holder taken from another angle, the brush tufts being omitted.

Figure 3 is a side view of the frame simi` lar to Fig. 1, the brush backing element being omitted and the frame shown in a closed position.

Figure 4t is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing Vthe frame details.

The handle of the brush as shown in the drawing, is composed of a center or core of light material as wood, covered on two of its opposite sides by a metal strap 11, bent to form a loop 12, the bight of which presents an opening engageable with any convenient projection as a support.

This strap is secured to the core by screws 1,3 and then offset outwardly on both sides as at 121 to the curved ends 15.

Fixed to extend between these ends is pin 16 and a similar pin 17 is secured in like manner between the sides 14 near the offsets.

Hingedly engaged by these pins are pairs of leaf elements 18 and 19 extending oppositely outward and in turn engaging hinges 2O and 21 extended towards each other and fastened to plates 22, said plates being thus held parallel and causing the several hinges to operate in unison.

Another hinge 23 is fixed on one side of the strap 11, the same engaging a leaf 24 which can be swung open in the manner of a lever handle and carries an eye 25 loosely containing the bight of a loop 26 having spread ends 27 bent to present closed rings 28 engaging in eyes 29 fixed in the outer faces of the hinged levers 19.

The brush tufts 30 are set in the backing strips 31 engaged on the` outer surfaces of the plates 22 and having bent portions 32 extending towards each other over the ends of the frame as shown in Figure 1.

In operation, the opposed sides of the brush are brought towards each other by raising the lever handle 24, which through its connections presses the leaves 19 outwardly, the same pivoting on the pins 17 and, due to the connecting plates 22, trans mitting a similar movement to the leaves 18, causing them to move in unison, in the manner of a lazy tong, closing the brushes inwardly.

bviously when the brush has been entered in a jar or the like, it can be expanded by pressing the lever 24 against the handle, the parts moving in a reverse direction and the brushes pressed outwardly to their limit.

Having thus described my invention and set forth the manner of its construction, application and use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z# An expansible brush comprising a rigid handle composed of a solidcore and a metal strap looped to extend longitudinally therefrom, leaves pivoted between the extensions of the loop at a spaced distance, said leaves normally extending outward at uniform angles, plate connections pivoted between the ends of opposed pairs of leaves, a lever hinged to said handle, links connecting said lever with one pair of said leaves, and brush elements disposed on the outer surfaces of said plate connections.

In witness whereof I have affixed my signature.

HELENE BEHRENS. 

